Frozen Heart
by Aylen321
Summary: 2 years after Elsa fled from her coronation up into the icy fjords, Arendelle is still under the curse of an eternal winter and no one has heard from the Snow Queen. Hans is ready to tie the knot with Anna so that he can finally become King, but one thing stands in his way; the Queen is still alive and he needs her Blessing first. (Elsa/Hans).
1. Prologue: Snow Queen

Author's Note: This will be an Elsa/Hans fic. Takes place 2 years after Elsa fled the coronation party. Sorta AU-ish. Enjoy! 

_**Frozen Heart**_

_Prologue: Snow Queen_

"_Cut through the heart, cold and clear  
Strike for love and strike for fear  
There's beauty and there's danger here  
Split the ice apart  
Beware the frozen heart"_

"Frozen Heart", from Frozen 

* * *

Elsa was not unused to the placid silence of solitude and reclusiveness. All those years she spent as a child locked up in her room, focusing all her youthful energies on suppressing and controlling the frozen power within her, had prepared her for the complete and utter isolation of the Northern Mountain. Alright, so technically she wasn't _completely_ alone… Marshmallow and Olaf had kept her company these past two years (it _had_ been two years, right?), particularly on those wistful nights when she sorely missed the sound of her sister knocking on her door. Back then, those knocks only served as a painful reminder of the ever growing distance between her and Anna. Now, Elsa longed for rhythmic sound of tapping on wood. She wanted to throw her glacial doors open and, upon seeing her sister standing there in the swirling winds, pull the younger girl into a warm embrace that would mend the break in their relationship.

But this would never and could never happen.

Elsa was a threat to Anna and although she ached for her little sister's embrace, more than anything she wanted to her to be safe and happy.

Was she happy now? Surely two years had dulled whatever anger Anna may have had towards Elsa for not only keeping such a considerable secret from her, but for abandoning her as well.

And what of that Prince of the Southern Isles? Were he and Anna betrothed? Had they already been united in holy matrimony? Elsa had been somewhat intrigued during the coronation party when Anna brought the auburn-haired prince, whom she had just met that day, to meet her. Intrigue quickly turned to dismay when Anna announced that she and the prince were asking for her Blessing.

Even now Elsa still felt that same pang of dismay when she thought of the situation. Deciding to marry someone after only having known them for a day? Ridiculous! And she made her sentiments known quite clearly. Indeed, it was her reaction towards this incident that started the chain of events which led to her icy powers being unwittingly revealed, and ultimately, her flight into the desolate fjords.

What had started off as a frantic dash up the mountain slowly turned into a liberated waltz as Elsa began to realize that she was finally _free_. Atop these snowy peaks, there was no right or wrong, no rules to strictly abide by. No subjects, no nobles, none of those pesky Dukes or nosy Countesses. Nothing and no one to stop her from letting go. And with that in mind, she had created her very own icy palace.

Of course, a grand castle made up completely of ice wasn't too hard to find in such a barren landscape, if one looked hard enough that is. And people did look that first year. Royal guards to be precise. They came bounding up the mountain, _her_ mountain, in all their knightly glory, swords and all. Their request had been simple; return with them to Arendelle, end the eternal winter she'd inadvertently set off, and regain her rightful place on the throne as Queen.

Her reply had been just as straightforward.

Disappointed and more than a little anxious at the way she'd so callously dismissed them, the guards trudged back down the mountain, defeated. It was only a few days later that a new group had been sent up her mountain again, this time more heavily armed. This seemingly minor detail did not go unnoticed by Elsa and it wasn't long before she'd created Marshmallow, her loyal and intimidating snow guard.

Group after group of royal guards and the occasional emissary were dispatched up the mountain over the course of a year, but to no avail. Some departed peacefully, but most had fled her palace in a frenzied panic. She was not incompetent when it came to using her powers offensively. Freedom was not something she would give up so easily.

By the end of that first year, all attempts to take her back had ceased. The inhabitants of Arendelle had resigned themselves to an eternal winter and an empty throne. Occasionally, Elsa felt the discomfort of a guilty conscious, but then she would remind herself that even if she wanted to, she couldn't stop the eternal winter. That sort of control over her powers still eluded her, though not for lack of trying.

As for the empty throne…she knew the half a dozen royal advisors in the palace would be running the kingdom until either Anna came of age or Elsa ceased living, whichever would come first. Arendelle would be fine without her. As would Anna.

And so Elsa would remain here, in her frozen castle.

She would be alone, yes. But she'd be alone and _free_.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this little prologue. The next chapter will definitely have Hans in it, for those of you who were disappointed in the lack of Elsa/Hans in this chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think! :)


	2. Blessing

_**Frozen Heart**_

_Chapter 1: Blessing_

* * *

_Thump thump. Thump thump._

Loud. Her heart was beating so loud.

"Anna?"

_Thump thump! Thump thump!_

Why was it beating so darn loud? It sounded as though it might beat right out of her chest!

_**Thump thump**__! __**Thump thump**__!_

What a nuisance. Hans could probably hear it for crying out loud! How embarrassing…maybe she was having a heart attack? Her left arm did feel kind of tingly…was this it? Had she come so far in life only to have it taken away at a time when she was about to find out some of the biggest news in her short existence?

"Anna!"

All thoughts of an impending heart attack left Anna as Hans' voice and his warm hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her panicked reflections. Looking up, she saw that Hans had a concerned look on his face, brows furrowed and green eyes flickering. Beautiful, green eyes.

Beautiful, gorgeous, DEEP green eyes that she could stare into for _days_.

Anna sighed, already feeling the beginnings of a mild flush spreading across her freckled cheeks.

"It's nothing, Hans! I'm just…nervous, I guess?" She gave him a bashful grin, pushing back a stray lock of strawberry blonde hair that had fallen loose from her bun.

The stunning Prince of the Southern Isles looked skeptical. "Anna, are you sure? You aren't having second thoughts…" he gently put his other hand on her cheek, lightly cradling it as if afraid she might crack. "…are you?"

Anna's vision was suddenly filled with the greenness of his eyes and the smoothness of his skin and just the overall PERFECTION of his face and she swooned. For the millioneth time.

She shook her head emphatically and placed her small hand over his much larger one. "Of course not! I've been wanting this for two years now, you know that!"

Hans smiled and slowly, purposefully leaned down towards the Princess, his auburn hair falling slightly on his forehead.

This was it. He was finally going to do it. Anna would at long last be receiving the kiss she had craved since the day they met!

Quick to close her eyes, Anna turned her face up towards her fiancée expectantly, puckering slightly. He was getting closer, she could feel the heat radiating from his body and excitement bubbled up inside of her.

That excitement promptly fizzled out as she felt his warm lips on her cheek.

Not her lips. Never her lips. Always her cheek.

Not wanting to let her disappointment be known, Anna forced herself to smile. It was alright really, that he wouldn't give her a proper kiss. Hans was a very dignified and reserved person, even for a Prince. He was ever the perfect gentleman, and that was what Anna loved about him.

Wasn't it?

Straightening up, Hans faced the large double doors that lay in front of them and Anna swallowed, her tongue suddenly feeling quite thick as he rapped twice on the door.

Almost immediately, the doors creaked open as two guards, one on each side, bowed deeply in welcome.

Together, arm in arm, Anna and Hans strode into the room.

"Ahhhh, Princess Anna! Prince Hans! Please, come in, come in!"

Inside the elegant room stood a portly, jovial looking man who was dressed in in the typical garb of a royal advisor. He gave a low bow to the royal couple and beamed up at them when he straightened up, gesturing towards the plush seats in front of him. "Won't you have a seat?"

Anna gave him a strained smile, still feeling somewhat bitter over the older man's repeated interference in her past attempts at going after Elsa. It had been over a year since her last attempt to venture out into the frozen wilderness to search for her estranged sister, and she knew that Frederick meant well, but there was still a tension that lingered between them.

Once Anna and Hans had situated themselves into the overstuffed seats (they had always been her favorite seats in the palace), Frederick took his own seat at his desk in front of them and folded his hands. "So, how can I serve you?"

"Well…" Hans started.

"We want to get married!" Anna blurted out before she could stop herself. Almost immediately she could feel her cheeks warming up, but she didn't care. It was best to get straight to the point when it came to these sorts of matters. At least, that was always her philosophy.

Hans had turned to glance at Anna in a moment of surprise at her brashness, but he quickly regained his composure and gave a short nod. "Yes, that is what I…we want. We understand things have…" he hesitated a bit, unsure of the proper wording, "_changed_, and the situation is a bit more complicated than before. But Anna and I can no longer be apart, our love has grown over these past two years, and we feel it is time." He peeked over at Anna and gave her a reassuring smile. Anna swooned.

Upon hearing Anna and Hans's words, Frederick began to appear flustered. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat a few times before he finally spoke. "Ah…well, you see…er, what I mean to say is…" he faltered a bit, before taking a deep breath and meeting the expectant gazes of the Princess and Prince. "You can't. I'm sorry."

The words seemed to linger in the air, jarring Anna and taking Hans by surprise.

Hans recovered first, and he leaned forward in his seat agitatedly. "What? Why? It's been two years! The Snow Queen…" Anna flinched at the moniker and he consciously softened his voice, "…the Queen has not been on the throne since the Coronation. She doesn't seem to want to return or to rule. Surely this fact alone bypasses any royal laws about permission…"

Frederick's face hardened. "I'm sorry, Prince Hans of the Southern isles, but the law is the law. If a royal wishes to be married, permission must be obtained by the ruling monarch. Unless, of course, there is an absence of one due to death. And Queen Elsa is still alive, one glance outside at the eternal winter that has overtaken this land will tell you that."

Hans stood up from his seat and slammed his hand down on the royal advisor's desk in an uncharacteristic display of anger, raising his voice slightly, "Is there truly no other way? Must we get permission? How can she still be the Queen if she doesn't rule…!"

Anna stood up as well, placing her hand on Han's arm in an attempt to placate him. "Hans…"

Frederick shook his head solemnly. "There are only two ways Princess Anna and you can be married. Either you seek out Queen Elsa and receive her Blessing, or…" The older man shot a quick glance at Anna, unsure of whether he should continue or not. "…or you wait until the eternal winter ends, signifying the death of the Queen."

* * *

Hans was angry. No, angry wasn't a strong enough word to describe the extent of his emotion. He was furious. Livid. Completely and absolutely enraged. Wait until the Snow Queen was dead? Unacceptable! Who knew how long that would take? What if the wretched woman was immortal? After the revelation of her powers that night two years ago, he didn't doubt the probability of anything anymore.

Hans paced heatedly through his room in the Arendelle palace, a scowl on his face and a hand running through his auburn hair. For two long years he'd played the part of the amorous Prince, so deeply in love with the Princess of Arendelle that he would wait patiently by her side, doting on her and comforting her in her grief. Two years! How much longer could he keep up this charade? Certainly not ten, twenty, fifty years, however long it would take for that cursed Snow Queen to perish up in her gloomy mountain.

No. He couldn't wait any longer. He needed to marry Anna so that he could finally become the King he was destined to be, _deserved_ to be. And he couldn't just _ask_ for her sister's Blessing because even if he received it, Anna would not be Queen, and then he wouldn't be King.

The Snow Queen needed to die.

And he needed to kill her.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this next chapter! Definitely more Hans in this one. Please leave reviews, they let me know that people are actually reading and motivate me to continue! :)


	3. Best Laid Plans

_**Frozen Heart**_

_Chapter 2: Best Laid Plans_

* * *

The Duke of Weselton fancied himself to be a man who held the sort of visionary intelligence that allowed one to become the most influential dignitary in the great kingdom of Weselton. Indeed, after the royal family, the Duke held the most power in the kingdom. This was due largely in part to his great success with building a considerable number of trading relationships with most of the surrounding kingdoms. These successful trading relationships in turn brought exorbitant amounts of goods and gold to Weselton, making it one of the more prosperous kingdoms, and the Duke a very, _very_ prosperous man.

In fact, the only kingdom he could think of that possessed more tradable goods than his own illustrious Weselton was the kingdom of Arendelle. Arendelle was small when compared with many of the other successful kingdoms, but it was also the most potentially lucrative. Whereas most kingdoms had one prominent resource that they traded, Arendelle had many. Seafood, raw materials, furs, wood, glass, and salt only made up a few of the goods they were well-known for. All those goods…all that gold!

But Arendelle, although not necessarily solitary, was for the most part an independent kingdom that traded minimally. Only enough to ensure the well-being and prosperity of its denizens, nothing more, nothing less. While it was a wealthy realm, Arendelle was also quite prudent and modest, choosing to have none of the flamboyance and grandiosity that Weselton was known for.

It made the Duke apprehensive to know that if Arendelle were to ever completely open up its borders for commerce, Weselton would lose gold. Lots of gold. The nobles and dignitaries would no longer be able to live as excessively and lavishly as they had been doing for decades.

Before the late King and Queen of Arendelle had perished in the storm at sea, he'd heard a rumor that they were planning on opening up their borders to increase the amount of trading for the kingdom. The rumor, of course, had frightened the Duke. But one could never fully trust rumors as they often came from dubious sources and so he ignored them, for the time being.

At the royal couple's funeral, the rumors were confirmed by a credible (and rather tipsy) dignitary from the Kingdom of Adiligan, a close ally of Arendelle.

"And you're certain this is true?" The Duke had queried the red-faced dignitary, squinting his eyes a bit as if that would assist him in detecting any falsehoods. "This was to be their plan for the future?"

"Of course I'm certain!" hiccupped the inebriated nobleman, "King Harald, bless his soul, told me himself! And being that His Majesty was said to have been a great influence on the Princess Elsa, I suspect she'll be following in his footsteps when she becomes Queen!"

The dignitary's words had caught the Duke off guard, and he was left feeling dismayed and quite uncertain as to what his next course of action should be. But this had only been a momentary lapse in his normally astute reasoning, and it didn't take long for the Duke to come up with what he reckoned to be a brilliant plan.

He would represent Weselton at Princess Elsa's Coronation Ceremony, which would provide him with the perfect opportunity to corner the soon-to-be Queen and persuade her to open up Arendelle's trading to Weselton and Weselton alone! It was foolproof…establish a partnership with Arendelle that would not only benefit his great kingom immensely, but it would provide him with the potential to keep Arendelle in check! His plan was wonderful. It was glorious! It was marvelous! It was stupendous! It was…

…a complete failure.

Yes, his supposedly foolproof plan had been a complete and utter failure.

He had barely gotten a few words in with the newly crowned Queen when her horrid secret had been revealed in front of the entire party and she fled up the Northern mountain.

A sorceress! Imagine that!

The Duke despised any and all things magic; he had always said it was a despicable craft that had no place in this world, and the same could be said of its practitioners. This included not only humans of magic persuasion, but any and all magical creatures.

From the dwarves and trolls living high up in the rugged mountains to the elves and hulders who dwelled deep within in the forests, the duke detested them all.

And so when his right-hand man, Frans, suggested that getting rid of Queen Elsa would likewise get rid of the prospect of Arendelle opening up its borders to trade, the Duke concurred that this was the best course of action. In any other normal circumstance the Duke would have been aghast at such a scandalous suggestion, but this was no normal circumstance. In fact, to dispose of the new Queen would undoubtedly make him a hero! Didn't this conniving enchantress curse the entire kingdom of Arendelle to an eternal winter? Hadn't she forsaken the throne and left the people of her kingdom to fend for themselves? And was it not this Snow Queen who had sent army after army of royal guards fleeing for their lives down her newly claimed mountain?

Surely the feeble citizens of Arendelle must feel a great animosity for their renegade Snow Queen!

Ah, yes. It was perfect. Truly perfect.

The Duke could see it quite clearly now. He would have the Snow Queen's head on a platter and the people (and the goods!) of Arendelle in the palm of his hand.

Now all he needed to do was find someone to eradicate the soon-to-be doomed Queen. This would not be an easy task for the Duke, for it seemed as though the sorceress' power was too great for the likes of common mortal guards to subdue her. Indeed, to send up an army of mortal guards would perhaps prove to be useless as well.

But…what if he sent someone, or rather, _something_ with just as much power as she? Something that had great magical prowess and was also cunning and intelligent? Something that could kill, _had _killed before already and would not be averse to slaying a pretty young Queen?

The prospective executioner in mind was frightening and the Duke knew he would need to find something of immense value to pique the interest of the being he was considering, but if he succeeded, if his plans did in fact come to fruition…

Any and all consequences would be worth it.

* * *

"Please please please please _pretty please_ may I come?"

Anna was currently leaning against Hans' bed, delicate arms wrapped around the polished oak bed post and her face resting on one hand. Large cerulean eyes beseeched him with the same question she'd been asking since he had told her of his plan to find the Snow Queen two weeks ago.

"Pleeeeeease, Hans? I NEED to go with you! I need to see my sister!" The spunky princess had pushed away from the bed post and situated herself on the extravagant bed, placing a small hand on the large travel bag Hans was presently packing with things he would need on the journey up the mountain.

Hans settled a gloved hand on Anna's, executing what he perceived to be a perfect regret-laced sigh.

"Anna…I'm sorry. I also wish you could be reunited with your sister, but, it's far too dangerous…the Northern Mountain is full of treacherous obstacles…" For emphasis, Hans counted off each threat one by one on his hand, "…wolves, bears, perilous peaks, trolls, irate dwarves…" he put both hands on each side of Anna's face and pressed his forehead to hers. "Not to mention that terrible storm your sister set off." Kissing her temple quickly, Hans pulled away and turned from Anna to the large lavishly embellished doors of the closet, a self-satisfied smirk gracing his face.

Had he not been born into royalty, perhaps he would have made a magnificent performer!

Thrusting open the heavy doors, the prince cooly glanced over the vast array of outfits, cloaks, and other various apparel, some elegant, others gaudy to a fault.

Tapping a finger to his chin thoughtfully, Hans snatched a number of particularly warm looking coats and mantles and tossed them onto the bed. They were all sure to make him look quite dashing.

Anna was running her fingers through the assorted fabrics of the cloaks, a look of deep contemplation on her face. Hans had already turned back to the closet and was removing several thermal outfits when the princess spoke up.

"I'm going."

Hans exhaled slowly and gazed upwards in exasperation, Anna's stubbornness grating on his last nerve. "Anna, we've talked about this already…" He swiveled around, ready to berate her for refusing to accept his word. Perhaps he would throw in a few romantic phrases and express apprehension about losing her to the rugged wilderness of the Northern Mountain. She was a sap for anything romantic.

But any and all words died in the princes' throat when he caught sight of the resoluteness in her eyes, brow furrowed and her hand clenched into a small fist that lay stiffly by her side.

She raised her chin a little higher, eyes trained on him. "If you don't let me come with you, I won't marry you." Her words were steady and full of conviction, and in a rare moment of uncertainty, Hans was completely taken aback.

"You…won't marry me?" he repeated the words slowly, still not quite sure he had heard correctly.

Anna folded her arms against her chest in a defensive stance and nodded. "I won't marry you." She looked down and brushed an imaginary speck of dirt off her dress while continuing to speak. "Every day for the past two years I have wondered and worried. How is my sister doing up there, all alone on that mountain? Is she lonely? Is she scared? Is she…" her voice caught in her throat and Hans could see that her eyes were moist, "…is she in danger? All of these things I don't know. I need to see my sister. I **will** see her!" And with her sentiments finally expressed, Anna stormed out of the room, leaving Hans in a state of disbelief.

Not marry him? This had not been a part of his plan! No, his plans consisted of going up the mountain, disposing of the Snow Queen, and returning to a newly thawed Arendelle and the crown. If Anna went with him, how could he kill her miserable sister?

Hans ran gloved hands through his hair in a frustrated gesture, a habit that all too often left his usually neat locks in an uncharacteristic state of disarray.

This was a serious problem for the Prince of the Southern Isles.

On one hand, to bring Anna along would mean there was a possibility he'd be allowed to marry her although the Snow Queen would continue to live and as a consequence, he would remain uncrowned. On the other hand, to rebuff her demands would mean whether he succeeded or not in killing the runaway queen there would be no wedding. He would have to return to the Southern Isles, defeated and humiliated. Never to ascend the throne. Perpetually overlooked and undermined by his older brothers.

Hans slumped onto the bed, elbows on his knees and face buried in his hands.

He could see his homecoming now. Replete with derisory wisecracks and taunts, all at his expense. Oh sure, it would all be "in good fun", his older brothers were only "messing around with 'Wee Hans'".

Hans shuddered. How he HATED that ghastly nickname they had for him. It had plagued the prince throughout his entire childhood and continued to do so even now.

But if he became King, the first of all twelve of those arrogant bastards to do so…

The respect and recognition he so deserved was only a wedding away, and he would NOT let anything or anyone take that away from him! Sitting up straight, Hans rolled his shoulders back and set his sights on the large double doors in front of him, mind racing with a hundred different strategies for rendering his plans successful until he finally settled on one that was relatively obvious.

Almost immediately Hans' expression cleared and his lips spread into a slow, satisfied smile.

Raising himself from his gloomy posturing, the prince strode over to the bedroom doors and paused a bit in order to smooth down his ruffled hair and paste a benevolent grin on his face before he thrust them open.

Perhaps he would get his happy ending after all.

* * *

A/N: Elsa will be showing up in the next chapter along with everyone's favorite ice harvester and I promise there will be a lot more action! I'm pretty much finished with establishing a basic framework for the story, so like I said, things will be moving along quicker from here on out! Oh yes, and please please please leave a review! :)


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